Vienna
by Purple Sky Juliet
Summary: Elizaveta is heading to Vienna for her wedding, and Gilbert takes her to her train. PruHunAus. Inspired by "Vienna" by The Fray.


The station was busy with workers and passengers waiting near the tracks. Amongst the people was a couple, a tall man with unusual silver hair and a smaller brunette in a high-class green dress, a small suitcase held in her left hand. They were walking in silence, close enough to make it appear they were together but far enough away to dissuade anyone from assuming romantic inclinations. Their eyes never met as they walked toward the platform over which a posted sigh read "Vienna."

The woman stopped on the platform and asked a worker when the train would arrive.

"Should be five minutes, miss," the worker responded. She thanked him and turned to her companion.

"Just five minutes, huh?" the man said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "That's not so awesome. Lizzie…are you -?"

"Yes, Gilbert," she replied testily. "We've been over this."

Gilbert glowered. "I was just making sure you thought were making the right choice running off to the aristocrat, Elizaveta."

"I'm a grown-up, Gilbert. I know what I'm doing." Gilbert just frowned at her and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Suit yourself."

A train whistle sounded, and people stopped farther away from the tracks as a train rushed quickly into the station. People travelling into Budapest disembarked, and workers began collecting tickets and allowing passengers to begin boarding. Elizaveta reached into her small suitcase and pulled out her ticket.

"You'll write me, won't you, Lizzie?" Gilbert asked hopefully.

"Gilbert may be Elizaveta's friend, but Prussia is Austria-Hungary's enemy. Prussia is why we have formed the dual-monarchy," Elizaveta explained coolly. "There will be no way to reach me, Gilbert." His face fell and her heart wrenched. "I'm sorry, Gilbert."

"No, it's all awesome!" Gilbert insisted, flashing a grin at her. "Have fun with your little aristocrat without me, Lizzie."

"Gil, don't be like this."

"Don't be like what? Awesome? Can't stop that. Hey, you're boarding."

Elizaveta turned and saw that first-class was indeed boarding. She turned back to Gilbert.

"Goodbye, Gilbert."

"_Auf Wiedersehen, Prinzessin_," he replied, and then leaned down to press his warm lips against her forehead. She closed her eyes and opened them a second after the warmth vanished. He shot her a half-hearted smile and turned away, slinking back into the crowd and vanishing from sight.

"Miss? Are you first-class?"

"Oh, yes," Elizaveta said and turned away from the direction of Gilbert's retreat.

"If I may, miss, I'll take your ticket and escort you aboard."

She handed the man her ticket and boarded the train. She was escorted to her seat and sat down, staring out the window. The train began to pull out of the station in Budapest. She leaned her head on the glass of the window. She really would not talk to Gilbert again for a long time. Would she miss him? Even if he did trample them in the war, he was still her friend. Gilbert, not just Prussia. She sighed and closed her eyes. Drifting in and out of sleep, red eyes flashing behind her eyelids, she thought of Gilbert and his lips on her forehead. Would Roderich kiss her on the forehead?

"Miss?" She turned toward the sound of the voice and found a man in the uniform of the train company speaking to her. "This is Vienna, miss."

"Oh, thank you," she replied and stood, collecting her small suitcase. She disembarked the train and was met by a elegantly dressed man holding a sign that read "Héderváry" in bold, black letters. She smiled and made her way over to him.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Héderváry," the man said. "I'm afraid Mr. Edelstein was too busy to pick you up himself and sent me in his place."

"Oh, I see," she said with a fake smile. Roderich had told her he would pick her up himself. Gilbert had always come when he promised. She pushed the though quickly out of her mind. Roderich was a distinguished gentleman that was very busy, so it was not his fault.

"I'm sure you will love Vienna, Miss Héderváry."

"Yes…" she replied, absently examining the crowd. A flash of silver hair caught her eye and she whipped around, trying to find the ruby eyes. But he wasn't there. He was already gone. This was Vienna. She was already gone away.

"Miss? Mr. Edelstein is waiting at the house."

"Yes, my apologies," she said quietly and began to follow the servant again, her eyes low. The grey sky suddenly opened up, and water poured down upon their heads.

"Ah, there goes the downpour," the servant remarked.

And there went her past, because this was Vienna; perhaps someday they would meet again. But for now, Viennese rains would wash away the way of the past because they both were so far gone away.

"Let us hurry and not keep Roderich waiting any longer," Elizaveta said pleasantly, accepting an umbrella the servant held out to her, her pace quickening in the direction of her fiancé's home.

**Author's Notes: **

**Here's a oneshot I wrote. Just some PruHun angst-ish for you. It follows the song "Vienna" by The Fray, somewhat. The song was the inspiration for the story. Go listen to it if you don't know it! Tell me what you think!~**

**Historical Notes: **

**The Austro-Hungarian Compromise occurred on June 8th, 1867, following the Austro-Prussian War.**


End file.
